Embarassment and Contraceptives
by GinnyMyLove
Summary: 18plus only: Hermione was happy to clinically file away information on sex for use after graduating University. However in fourth year her mother decides to have another 'Talk' which fills her heads with images of her classmates. What's a bookworm to do? A/N: After much indecision, I'm afraid this story is being marked as Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. **

**Embarrassment and Contraceptives: **

**Chapter 1: Fourth Year**

Date: Last day of summer holiday before heading to the Burrow

Place: Living room of the Granger Home

Subject: Hermione Granger

Age: 14

"Hermione dear, can you come in here for a moment?"

Hermione was a bit confused as she turned back toward the table where her father sat only moments ago to find the place completely deserted. She took the glass of milk she had just poured and walked to ward the living room where her mother sat on the couch. The whole situation had an eerily familiar aura and her heartbeat increased as fear kicked her fight or flight instincts into high gear. 'She wouldn't! We already did this in first year!' She thought to herself in horror.

Approaching her mother with trepidation but refusing to show fear, after all Gryffindors go forward and all that. She took the few steps in and sat down on the other end of the couch and placed her milk on the coffee table in front of her. "Yes mum?" She asked masking her feelings.

Emma Granger did not hide her fear nearly as well as her daughter, but Hermione had to get her courage from somewhere. "I thought before you went back to that school of yours we should have a little chat."

'Oh Merlin she is!' "Where is Daddy? Shouldn't he be joining us if we are discussing something important?"

Her mother smiled down at her and Hermione once again tamped down her urge to flee. "This is something that should just be between us girls. Hermione I'm sure you remember our talk from when you first got your monthly visitor?"

"Of...of course. So there is no need to have this conversation again I assure you..."

"That isn't entirely true dear," Emma continued. "We only skimmed the surface of what you needed to know about how things worked and how to take care of yourself. No you are becoming a young woman now and there is more you need to know...about boys...and sex in general."

"Muuuum, can we please not do this?" Hermione begged but her mother soldiered on despite her protests.

"You will be fifteen in less than a month and I remember fondly my time at school, you are going to get urges if you haven't already gotten them, and you are going to notice boys as more than friends."

"Mum please don't..."

"Your two best friends are boys Hermione; I went to an all girl school so I didn't get to experience quite the same urges you might except on the rare occasion when we had a dance with one of the all boy schools. No my best friends were female and though we did explore these things together...well that is neither here nor there, perhaps another time.

"The point is you are going to begin seeing one or both of your best friends as more than a friend, unless you have already? I know you can never seem to stop talking about Harry Potter."

"MUM! It's not like that! Besides... Harry is like a brother to me, if I were to hypothetically have thought of either of them in such a manner it would have been Ronald that I would hypothetically have felt urges for..." Hermione trailed off as she realized what she had revealed.

She missed the look of disapproval on her mother's face before it disappeared, "Well if, hypothetically, you were to have urges to do things with Harry I think we should discuss what your father and I would consider proper...and then what I would consider less than proper but understandable and forgivable as long as Dan never finds out."

"Mum!"

"Listen dear, my mother, bless her heart, was naïve about the way we kids saw the world and I am certain that I am naïve about the way you do. That being the case, especially considering my behavior at your age...well that is neither here nor there, I simply refuse to willingly blind myself to the fact that you are becoming a sexual being and a young adult."

'Sexual... being...' "MUM! Oh my god..." The blush Hermione had been fighting for the past five minutes finally won the fight and turned her scarlet. "Mum IF I were becoming a sexual being...and IF I had urges... I would not want to discuss them with my mother!"

Emma shook her head and smiled, "Hermione we have so little time together any more, I don't want to waste the time we get together during the summer with secrets between us. I want to be there for you no matter what your problems...even if your father wouldn't understand I promise I will only offer advice and not judge nor punish. Now where was I?"

The younger girl simply stared at the older, logically she understood that there was nothing wrong with sex or the feelings her mother was describing. If she were honest with herself she had noticed how well Harry filled out his Quidditch robes as well as caught herself staring at Ron's backside on the way up the stairs from time to time. She knew what was happening, having done the reading immediately after the previous talk when she had gotten her period. However meshing her logical side with her teenage mind and the idea of talking openly to her mother about it...

"Ah yes, so back to these urges. Now if you find yourself attracted to Harry.."

"Or Ron." Hermione interjected firmly.

"Or Harry," Emma continued as if she hadn't spoken. "You might feel a need to hug him...which I have noticed you do often already, with Harry not Ron. You might also begin to feel the urge to kiss him. There is nothing wrong with kissing as long as you don't go around kissing all of your year mates. That can bring you a reputation."

Hermione's nose scrunched up at the thought of kissing Neville, Dean or Seamus. She had already kissed Harry on the cheek on multiple occasions but that was usually after he saved her life or did something stupidly noble. She had felt the urge to kiss Ron but never gotten over her fear... 'Some Gryffindor I am...' She thought to herself. 'Wait. Why did she say year mates and not boys?'

"You might also feel the urge to do more than just kissing or snogging..."

"Mum I do not plan on snogging! That's just disgusting!" As far as I'm letting you know...

"If it gets to that point there are some things you need to think about." Her mother waited until she had the girl's undivided attention before continuing. "You are too young to be having sexual intercourse."

Hermione began to argue simply to make this a logical conversation rather than a personal one. "But mother girls my age would have been married with children already a few decades ago! The whole staying a virgin until you are married idea was wonderful when you got married at 12 or 13 but asking me to wait until I am out of college is a bit much!"

"I never said I would be asking any such thing, and I agree with you to a point. However actual intercourse and the possibility of getting pregnant still lead me to beg you to wait. Especially at fourteen."

"Almost fifteen." Hermione mumbled, not really arguing because she agreed, but still upset that her mother had gone backward in age to boost her argument.

"Now as I was saying there are many things you can do to help satisfy those urges without having intercourse. Do you have any ideas?"

Hermione felt like her hair would catch on fire from the strength of her blush. It was one thing to listen to her mother prattle on about sex, it was quite another to be invited to contribute. "Um..." She cast her eyes around the room looking for any way to get out of this.

"I understand, you're embarrassed. That is perfectly acceptable at your age."

That got her riled up. "Masturbation, mutual masturbation, heavy petting and oral sex?"

Emma blushed but nodded, "I am not happy to think of it, but I would not berate you for engaging in any of those if you felt comfortable enough with Harry..."

"Or Ron." Hermione growled even though the blush still hadn't left her cheeks.

"Or Harry, if you get that comfortable and feel that much about him you should consider all of those options. However you do know what happens to males during orgasm?"

"Kill me now, please?" Hermione begged whatever deity happened to be listening in at the moment.

"When the male orgasms they ejaculate...you remember our talk about the man putting his seed into the woman's womb?" Hermione barely managed to nod; she was wishing that her feet would blush so she could pass out from having her brain deprived of oxygen. "Well ejaculation can be beautiful to witness; and fun to play with afterward... but this is the stuff you need to keep away from your vagina if you don't want to chance getting pregnant. Now granted at Harry's age..."

"Or Ron's..." Hermione interrupted though her heart was no longer in it.

"He or they may not yet be able to produce any ejaculate depending on how mature they are."

Hermione interrupted again, "Harry is still not mature physically so you don't have to worry about him, Ron however had a growth spurt according to Ginny's letters, so I imagine he would be..."

"Good then you might not need to worry about that so much, then again has anyone seen Harry who would describe his physical attributes to you?"

"Uh..."

"Now I'm sure you have done your research, but do we need to discuss STD's?" Hermione shook her head. "Well being a dentist has its benefits." She reached to the side of the couch and pulled out several strips of blue rubber. "Do you know what these are?"

Hermione was suddenly quite confused, "Those are dental dams, you use them when performing procedures where you need to keep parts of the mouth separate from the one you are currently operating on."

"They are also good to protect against Sexual Diseases."

"But how would you..." She trailed off as the familiar feeling of horror filled her.

"You can stretch the rubber rather tightly like this." Her mother demonstrated. "And Harry can place this against your vagina to keep a block between you to keep from mixing bodily fluids."

"I...I... I mean..." Hermione couldn't even argue for her to include Ron in her hypothetical situation as images began to swim through her head. She had read about oral sex but had never actually thought about being on the receiving end.

"Now if you were to find yourself with urges for one of your dorm mates, or possibly one of your better girl friends, like Ginny. Then Ginny could also use this method on you, or you on her. We won't shun you if you decide you like girls better than boys."

"I...eep?" Hermione stuttered again as Harry was replaced by Ginny in her mind and her eyes widened. Then the image switched to Hermione lying between Parvati's legs and she gulped audibly.

"Right then, that covers females, however when dealing with males and oral sex I would prefer you use a condom. Do you know how to put a condom on? I doubt Harry does with what you have told me of his relatives."

"I doubt Ron would either, I don't think Purebloods have ever heard of Muggle contraceptives." She recited clinically as she tried to drive out the images that kept switching around in her head.

"Ah good then, well luckily I brought this." She reached down again and pulled out a condom wrapper and a Banana. "Granted a Banana is probably much larger than you will ever have to deal with, but then you might get extremely lucky."

"Lucky? How on earth would you expect me to fit something like that...uh...oh god..." Hermione blushed again at her outburst.

Emma was trying extremely hard not to laugh at her daughter but only barely managed. "Yes well, as you get older you will grow, so will your womanly parts. Besides think about a baby coming out of there. This banana really isn't a problem..." Hermione caught her mother eyeing the banana suspiciously and mentally stomped the images down before they could ever come to fruition. 'Fruit...banana is a fruit...'

"Merlin please can we move on..." Hermione said as she really needed to find a nice wall to beat her head against until that image left her."

"Right then, you open the condom wrapper like so. Do not use your teeth as you wouldn't want to accidentally puncture it...of course since you will only be using them for fellatio with a deserving boy like it isn't as much of an issue. However this is considered practicing safe sex, and you should practice the way you plan to perform."

That said she opened the wrapper and took out the condom before demonstrating how to squeeze the tip and roll the condom down the length of the banana. "Now would you like to practice?"

Hermione in the meantime had been staring at the offending fruit with (she hoped) clinical detachment. However once the condom was seated correctly the newly phallic object looked very much like a penis and her face went through three shades of red as she struggled to hold in the scream.

"No? Would you like a demonstration on proper ways to administer..."

"NO! Are we done now mum? Please?"

"I suppose... You always were a fast learner, but I maintain that practice is the only way to get better at something. Well nothing for it then, will you promise me to try to contain your urges to the methods we spoke about tonight?" Hermione nodded dumbly.

"Alright then," Her mother said dismissively, "Well we have an early day tomorrow, why don't you go make certain you have everything packed properly?" That was enough leave that Hermione bolted from the room and went to lay down on her bed, having never been so thoroughly embarrassed in her life.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. **

**Embarrassment and Contraceptives:**

**Chapter 2: The First Task**

Date: Night before the first task

Place: The Library, Hogwarts

Subject: Hermione Granger

Age: 15

Hermione was sitting in the library waiting for Harry to get back from his meeting with Moody. She was nervous and if she had to admit it, somewhat horny with all the nerves running through her body. Damn her mother for putting images into her head!

To make matters worse, the object of her crush was being a colossal prat to their best friend and Hermione was forced to make a choice. It was almost no choice really to stick with Harry when Ron ran off to be sulky and jealous. Unfortunately that put Ron out of the running as a candidate for her now nightly fantasies.

Working closely with Harry to learn as many spells as he could, spending every waking moment with him; meant that at night she ended up dreaming about him. She tried the first line of defense suggested by her mother a week after it started, she closed and silenced the curtains on her four-poster and tried to imagine it was Ron giving her pleasure but within seconds the blue eyes turned to green and the hair from Red to Black. Unfortunately for her she was too far gone by that point to care and had reached her first orgasm ever to the image of her best friend pleasuring her.

Needless to say she could barely speak to him the next day without prattling on about some thing or another she had read. No personal conversation had been allowed, only facts. Facts were easy to hide behind, she learned that lesson early in her childhood when none of the other children could hold an intelligent conversation and therefore took to teasing her for being a bookworm or a know-it-all.

That had all changed when Harry jumped on that Troll's back to distract it from crushing her. Ron had been the one to deal the final blow but Harry was stupidly brave and apparently she was nursing a small crush on him now as well.

Damn her mother again for doing this to her!

She would have been quite content to be a sexless bookish know-it-all until after leaving school. She had read up on methods and theory about hormones and other such things that cause the 'urges' her mother told her about. But until that conversation she had been content to file it all away clinically in her mind for future reference. Now she was frigging herself nightly just to maintain her sanity during the day.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Harry sat heavily down in the chair across the table from her.

"Harry! So how did it go? Do you think it will work?"

He nodded but sighed, "I finally got it, that man is a taskmaster though, I swear he's even worse than you!"

"Hey!"

"Kidding Mione, sheesh." He smiled at her and she melted a bit. Damn his smile. "He's had me summoning heavier and heavier stuff over longer and longer distances. I tried to ask him what the big deal was if all I was summoning was my broom..."

"But the summoning charm can be useful for so much else! Of course he wanted to make certain you were especially good at it if this is expected to save your life! I mean Dragons Harry!"

"Yeah I suppose, so finally he took me halfway to Hogsmeade and had me summoning a boulder. That thing had to weight a ton at least! That's not the worst part though; He then took to shrinking it down and lightening it before hiding it from me in the woods. He expected me to summon a 2,000 lb boulder hidden somewhere I had never seen it before!"

She couldn't help but be in awe of him, summoning a ton at age 14 was nothing to sniff at! "Harry that's amazing! So?"

He shrugged before groaning, "I was able to do it, but apparently my magic didn't like it and it's taking it out on my muscles as if I had lifted that rock the Muggle way."

"I think you need to relax before tomorrow, it won't do you any good to face a dragon if you are too stiff..." She blushed at the mental image, "I mean if you aren't able to function..." She blushed harder and cursed her mother once again. "What I mean is we need to find a way to loosen you up!" She finally squeaked out, luckily he didn't seem to notice.

"Anything to suggest short of going to Pomfrey?" He asked smiling at her again and she felt the tingling start.

'Oh gods oh gods oh gods.' She was mentally debating with herself... she had a perfect solution but didn't know if she had the hubris to actually suggest it. "Uh, maybe...why don't we get out of here and find somewhere else to talk? Madame Pince has been great about letting me work late, and even you being here since you are a champion. But if she catches us talking..."

"Eh Hem?" The librarian in question stared them down.

Hermione reached out and grabbed his hand as she stood, "Let's go find somewhere to talk about this."

She pulled him along until they found an empty classroom on the third floor, once inside she lit the torches and locked the door with a Colloportus. Harry looked at her strangely as she blushed under his scrutiny, "Uh...was that necessary?"

"Look, I don't want you to die because you weren't able to get any sleep tonight, so I'm going to help you relax. But before I do so I want your word that this is never spoken of again to anyone, and that our friendship won't change at all."

Curious despite himself he nodded, "Okay I can promise that, but what are you getting at?"

"This is just the once, and only because you need to relax."

"Hermione what exactly were you planning?" He asked as his eyes went wide.

She approached him with her heart beating three times its normal speed and her pulse pounding in her ears. "Uh... well I know that, I mean..."

He placed his hands on her shoulders and waited until she looked him in the eye. "Just tell me Mione, I promised nothing would change and it won't."

In response she ran a hand down his chest and continued on down to his waistband, she paused for only a second. Long enough for his eyes to widen again as it clicked before her hand plunged into the fabric and wrapped around his instantly hard member. "Ack!"

"Just relax Harry." She whispered into his ear as she drew closer to him. "I know it's a bit unorthodox but I need to do this for you."

His teenaged brain won out over the logical side that was shouting that this was wrong and he only nodded as she began pumping. He was struggling to remain upright and she noticed so pushed him backward until he was sitting against the desk. "This isn't working." She said clinically.

"Wha..?" He asked almost whining that she had stopped her ministrations.

"The fabric is getting in the way...I need to...um..."

"Oh." He said dumbly before unzipping and unbuttoning his trousers and leaning back once again on the desk. Hermione was now distracted by the warmth and hardness in her hand and almost forgot why she had gotten herself into this situation in the first place. She took a deep breath, and pulled the fabric of his boxers down to expose the erection in her hand.

"Oh my..." She commented with wide eyes, while he was not a banana she still had no idea how nature could expect him to fit that inside a normal sized woman. Changing her grip she began pumping him again and he lay back on the desk as his arms gave out.

"Gahurgle..." He was incoherent at this point but she insisted on a critique.

"Is this alright then Harry? I... I've only read about it..."

"Mmmm..." He nodded with his eyes closed.

She took that as an affirmative and continued on, idly she observed how his testicles were beginning to tighten and relax rhythmically in time with her movements. The whole thing was amazing to her but she was beginning to feel that burning tingling sensation in her stomach again and it was rapidly spreading up her chest and down her arms to her hands as well as affecting her balance as it ran down her legs and made her toes tingle in anticipation. Her mouth was going dry from the effort of keeping enough oxygen in her blood to keep up with the rapid heartbeat. However it seemed almost no time at all before Harry cried out and a large amount of semen flew from the end of his member and sprayed all over her hand and his stomach.

She continued to pump him lightly as he whimpered, suddenly feeling empowered at the control she had over his actions. She licked her lips as she wondered what he tasted like but refrained from doing anything rash. Her heart was not slowing down and her need was becoming insistent. She reached into her robes and slid her hand down to her leg where she grasped her wand. She pulled it out...

"Evanesco." She muttered the spell vanishing the mess before letting go of him and stepping back, now suddenly quite embarrassed at her actions and unwilling to do anything else despite her body's protests. "So uh... are you relaxed now?"

"Mmmm."

"Uh Harry, we should get to bed... I mean get you to bed, your bed and me to my bed..." She blushed furiously; luckily Harry appeared to be almost drunk as he did his trousers back up and stood to walk toward the door. He turned the handle and walked straight into the still sealed exit before regaining any semblance of sanity.

"Uh..."

"Sorry." She removed the charm and they walked back up to the tower without meeting each other's eyes once. Once they reached the common room Harry turned to her still not meeting her eyes.

"Uh...so thanks...for um..."

"Really it was no problem...good luck tomorrow..."

"Uh...right..." Harry hugged her awkwardly before stumbling up the stairs and into his dorm room.

Hermione raced up her own stairs, her pulse had not slowed and her fingers had not stopped tingling the entire way back up to the tower. Before he had given her that hug she was on the verge of throwing herself at him and snogging him senseless. Now she didn't know whether to cry in frustration, cry for the sudden change in their relationship, or give up and get herself off like she had been longing to do for the past twenty minutes.

In the end she closed and silenced her curtains and had her first screaming orgasm that night.

The next day she missed Harry at breakfast and had to be content to wait in the stands with everyone else. Eventually she couldn't contain her anxiousness about their friendship any longer and had to find Harry to talk about it. So she made her way up down from the stands and up to the Champions tent where she listened to the group until there was a pause in conversation.

"Harry?" She whispered.

"Hermione?" He whispered back as he walked toward the canvas flap.

Once again her heart was beating overtime and her nerves were on edge. She wanted to explain somehow, she wanted to make sure that their friendship would make it through this. "Are you; you know...alright?" She asked pitifully.

"Yeah I suppose, for a guy who's about to go up against a dragon."

She dove through the flap and wrapped her arms around him pulling him as close as she could. She was very happy when his arms returned the hug at full strength. That is until a flashbulb went off before she could kiss him for luck.

She chickened out; at least he had hugged her back. "Uh, good luck then...don't you dare die!"

He smiled at her as she got the evil eye from the event coordinators. "I promise to try...not to die that is."

She nodded and headed back for her seat, Ron was nowhere to be seen by the time she made it back up to the stands and she had to wait anxiously for the event to start. Now that she knew that they were at least still on hugging terms she began to calm down a bit.

"That was the only time." She vowed to herself. "Just the once, to help prepare him for the task. Can't cross that line again..."

"Are you alright Hermione?" The brunette nearly jumped out of her seat as Ginny interrupted her line of thinking.

"Of course I'm alright, why wouldn't I be alright? I mean it's not like I did anything to be ashamed of or embarrassed about...why are you asking?"

Ginny gave her an eyebrow before looking back down at the enclosure below. "Just wondering, I'm so worried about Harry I feel like I'm going to heave. I just thought you were so much closer to him than I am..."

"We're not! I mean all that close! Why would you say something like that? We are just friends Harry and I, that's all. Nothing to worry about here... Which dragon do you think he will have to face off against?"

"Are you sure you're feeling alright? You know I think I saw Ron earlier and he looked sick to his stomach as well. I bet he is regretting ever accusing Harry of putting his name in for more fame."

"Right, he could have apologized already, and then maybe I wouldn't be in this mess." She half mumbled.

"What was that?"

"HE! He, I mean Harry...wouldn't be such a mess..."

"Oh look! Cedric is first!"

Hermione thanked the deities for taking the attention away from her. How would she ever explain doing...that...with Harry to her best female friend who was still crushing on him?


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. **

**Embarrassment and Contraceptives:**

**Chapter 3: Announcement of the Yule Ball**

Date: Shortly after the First Task

Place: The Great Hall, Hogwarts

Subject: Hermione Granger

Age: 15

Visions of spinning gracefully around the dance floor in Ron's arms ran through her head at the announcement. A Ball! Her parents had attended charity balls in the past and she had always dreamed of the time when she would be old enough to join them. She went back to dancing in her head before looking up into brilliant green eyes and sighing softly before realizing what she was thinking and shaking her head to clear the stray thoughts.

"Ladies it does no good to be wall flowers, my Gryffindors will not be the laughing stock of the Ball!" McGonagall called out.

Blushing Hermione and the other girls in attendance stood and walked to the middle of the floor, Hermione knew how to dance but was hopeful she could get practice with Ron rather than some random Gryffindor boy. Unfortunately Ron had fled the room the moment that McGonagall let him go. Ron had come around after the first task and had joined her and Harry once again in study and research for the upcoming tasks. Unfortunately that did nothing for her traitorous, hormone-driven teenage mind which had apparently become quite comfortable with Harry as the subject of most interest.

Glancing around the room she spotted Harry trying to disappear into the far wall even as McGonagall had to physically force the boys onto the floor for dance practice. She screwed up her courage and headed over to him. "Harry how do you expect to learn anything over here?"

"Observation?" He asked hopefully.

She shook her head and grabbed his hand, trying to ignore the jolt of electricity that shot up her arm at the contact. "We both know you are not a visual learner, you learn best by doing it yourself." She lectured as she drug him onto the floor.

He sighed but stopped and looked at her expectantly, "I hope you know how to dance because I have absolutely no idea."

She nodded as she took a breath and stepped into his personal space and pulled his hand up to her shoulder height, then desperately trying not to think dirty thoughts, placed his other hand on her waist. His eyes were wide and she could feel him shaking slightly, she was unsure whether to be happy that she made him nervous, or nervous that he was simply appalled to be touching her. "This is a waltz Harry, a smooth, progressive dance done in 3/4 or 6/8 time and traditionally in closed position." She was hiding behind facts again and she knew it, but his proximity was rapidly shutting down her mind and facts were all she could cling to at the moment. "There are three counts in time with the music. Listen..."

As she quieted she began patting her hand on his shoulder in time to the beat of the music, she nearly squeaked when the hand on her waist picked up the beat but she quickly controlled herself. "Uh...right, so in your head it might help to think 1-2-3, 1-2-3 with a strong accent on the first beat. The basic part of the dance is a box step, you step forward, then to the side, then backward, and back to your starting place. You are leading me as the male partner so you will take a step toward me with your left foot, on two you slide your right foot forward in the direction you want the dance to move, and on three you bring your left foot over to meet your right foot. Then you repeat the process starting on the right foot instead. Do you understand?"

He nodded but she could see in his eyes that he had barely heard what she was trying to tell him. "It's very natural once you get it Harry, trust me. Remember that this," She shook his hand in hers, "Is like the rudder of a boat, when you push I know we are turning right, when you pull I know we are turning left. Pushing on my waist lets me know when we are moving..."

His eyes were beginning to glaze a bit so she rolled her eyes at him, "Let's just try it shall we? Remember; push on my waist when you are ready to go on the one count. Start with your Left foot, step forward with your Right, and then slide your Left foot to the side to meet your Right. Simple right?" He nodded and closed his eyes before his hand began tapping on her waist once more.

On the next upswing in the beat he pushed and they awkwardly made their way through a few measures before he forgot to change feet and ended up stepping on her, nearly knocking them both down. "Sorry! Oh Merlin sorry, this is a bad idea!"

She shook her head, "No Harry you were actually doing pretty well, you just forgot to switch feet. Let's try again?" He nodded and they were off once more.

Looking around they were actually one of the better couples on the floor at the moment, Parvati was limping away from an apologizing Seamus and Lavender was yelling loudly at Dean. The older girls were having better luck though, and Angelina seemed to be impressed with one of the Weasley Twins while Alicia was looking annoyed as she kept pulling the other Twin's hand back up to her waist. The music ended and Harry abruptly dropped her hand and stepped away from her blushing.

"Uh, thanks...for uh, yeah. I never knew how to dance before..."

"No problem Harry, anything you need..." She blushed deeply at the implied meaning to that statement.

"Right then...uh I'll see you at dinner; I need to um...go...away...now..." He promptly disappeared from the hall leaving her disconcerted and unsatisfied. The least he could have done in repayment would have been to ask her to the dance!

It was now only a week before the ball and Hermione was extremely agitated; Victor Krum had asked her to be his date to the ball on no less than three occasions but she had politely refused hoping that one of her best friends would figure out she was a girl and ask her to go with them. However as time grew shorter she was getting more and more upset; Harry was still struggling with his clue for the second task so he at least had an excuse for this gross oversight. Ron on the other hand was constantly babbling about how hard it was to get the girls alone to ask them, when he was sitting across from her at a table in the common room, alone. It was enough to make any girl crazy.

Harry stumbled into the common room and toward where she was sitting on the couch. He plopped down beside her and gave her a pleading look. "Yes Harry?" She asked in exasperation.

"I asked Cho..."

Her heart sank, "Oh?"

"She's already going with Cedric..."

Her heart lifted again; maybe he was going to ask. "McGonagall reminded me that as a Champion I absolutely have to have a date because I'm opening the dance! I panicked and asked her but I was too late..." His face fell; she kept hers as impassive as possible. "And on top of it the first dance is apparently more than just a simple waltz, were all supposed to know how to do spins and turns and a lift...help me?" He begged.

She resigned herself to being the know-it-all once again. "Alright Harry, why don't we go find a classroom to practice in?"

He nodded but before they could get up the portrait hole burst open and a large group of people walked in, including Ginny who was supporting a dazed looking Ron. "What happened?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"He asked Fleur Delacour to go to the Ball with him." Ginny said with a slight smile.

Hermione held out hope, "Oh, and she said no?" She asked looking at the terrified look on Ron's face but Ginny shook her head. Her heart hit rock bottom again. "She said yes?" She asked trying to fake as much enthusiasm as possible for her friend.

Ron shook his head again but Seamus jumped into the conversation. "He just shouted it out in the middle of the courtyard though it came out more like 'Wouldyouballgomewith?'" Seamus began laughing.

"They travel in packs, how are you supposed to get one of them alone to ask? And she's..." he trailed off. "I think I'm gonna be sick." He jumped up and rushed up the stairs toward the closest loo.

"She just looked at him, I think she was stunned! But Ron ran away before she could answer." Ginny finished the story.

Ron returned and sat down on the couch looking much better. "I just don't understand how we are supposed to ask when they are never alone...Hermione you're a girl."

She growled slightly at that. "Yes Ronald, I am."

"Wait! You're a girl! Why don't you go with me and Harry can go with Ginny! It's not like you've got dates anyway!"

Hermione had been repressing her anger at this situation for a month and it finally exploded out of her. "What makes you think I don't have a date Ronald?"

"Harry would have told me if he asked you, you didn't right mate?" Harry shook his head but Hermione could see in his eyes when the connection was made and just how awful he felt for not asking her so he was spared her ire.

"For your information I already have a date for the ball!" She shouted.

"Oh yeah? With who?" Ron shouted at her.

"Victor Krum!" It was a split second decision, and if she had waited Harry might well have asked her but her anger had gotten the better of her. How dare he!

"Krum! How can you go with the enemy?"

"He's not the enemy Ron, this tournament is about cooperation!" She rebutted forcefully.

Ron turned toward his sister hoping to at least snag a date for his best mate but the look on her face told him what he needed to know. She looked absolutely broken at having to turn down the offer. "I can't go with you Harry, I'm sorry but Neville asked me and I already accepted."

"Neville! You can't go with him; he's...he's..." Ron sputtered.

"One of your best mates up until you heard he was taking your sister on a date. You know what? I've had enough of this conversation!" Hermione stood as if to storm off but Harry stood with her and she suddenly remembered she had promised to help him learn the dance steps for the opener. Gritting her teeth she nodded and stormed out of the common room with Harry in tow like a beaten puppy.

She stormed down four levels and into an empty classroom in the Charms corridor; once Harry was inside she locked and silenced the door before she began shouting. "HOW DARE HE SUGGEST THAT I AM SO UNBELIEVABLY UNATTRACTIVE THAT NONE OF THE BOYS IN THIS SCHOOL WOULD ASK ME OUT?" Harry shrugged his shoulders but figured it would be best to let her rant for awhile. "Of all the stupid, brainless, idiotic, spineless..." She rapidly ran out of steam and instead just huffed.

"You're right Mione, and I'm sorry I didn't think to ask you sooner. I had actually just decided not to take a date so hadn't thought about until McGonagall twisted my arm. I'm still sorry."

She sighed and sat against a desk. "It's alright Harry, I know you were busy with the tournament, and you were hung up on Cho..."

"That's still no excuse for ignoring you..."

She nodded and the room went silent for a moment. "So we should start practicing..." She said to try and remove the awkwardness that had settled in the room.

"Yeah..." He said before standing and walking over to her.

They entered the closed position and began to waltz around the room to a beat inside Harry's head, once the pattern was established he was able to keep it up without thinking about it and began to describe the moves that he had seen demonstrated for the Champions to learn. She quickly ran through mental checklists of things she had been taught in lessons but when it came to actually practicing the moves, especially the lift, she quickly became frustrated.

"Sorry Harry, I guess I'm still on a short fuse. I just can't seem to relax and get into it you know?"

He froze for a moment and though he had worked up a bit of perspiration with the dancing, he suddenly began sweating as his eyes darted around the room. "Uh...do you..."

She looked at him inquisitively, wondering why he was suddenly so nervous. "Do I what Harry?"

He took a breath as if steeling his courage, "Do you...I mean would you like me to help you...uh...relax?" He asked cautiously.

Her mind suddenly went into over drive and heat began to pool between her legs. Her heartbeat sped up and her fingers and toes began tingling in anticipation. He couldn't really mean what he had just suggested. "I...I don't know...I mean I would...like...you know...that. But uh..."

He led them over to the desk once more and let her lean back against it before nervously placing a hand on her stomach. "I have no idea what to do Mione...you'll have to tell me... Plus I have a sneaking suspicion Ginny taught you her bat-bogey and I don't fancy fighting off my own mucous for touching you in the wrong place..." He blushed at his words.

She grasped his hand and moved it to her breast and they both took in sharp breaths as his hand made contact in the forbidden zone. "First just kind of massage these...softly." She said before he accidentally performed a mammogram.

He began to massage softly and brought his other hand up to match on the other breast causing her to moan a bit as the tingling grew stronger. He ran his thumbs over the middle where they encountered the stiff nubs pressing against the layers of fabric, causing her to sharply take a breath and stifle a moan.

Her sex though was having none of this foreplay crap, the burning was insistent so she reached down and shimmied her skirt up her body until her white cotton panties were exposed and Harry nearly fainted at the site. Once again the power she held over him from something as simple as exposing a garment gave her a heady feeling and emboldened her next move.

She reached up and grabbed his right hand and guided it down to her now bare left thigh where he rested it. Where his hand rested the nerves lit on fire and she did moan out loud this time, unable to stop herself. He looked into her eyes once she opened them and she bit her lip before nodding and felt his fingers slide an inch higher up her leg, igniting previously untouched nerve bundles and getting another moan.

At that moment she wanted nothing more than to lean in and capture his lips with her own, but something held her back. For some reason she thought of kissing as sacred, if she kissed him, especially now, it would mean this was more than just some playful fun, or a means to relax. It would cross a boundary that she wasn't ready to cross. Harry was her best friend and she didn't want to risk a lifelong friendship because of her stupid bloody hormones...

His hand slid higher and his fingertips finally brushed against the cotton. His hips bucked involuntarily and he took in another sharp breath before slipping under the material and touching the female sex for the first time. Hermione was extremely wet already, nearly soaking through her knickers, the touch of his fingers on her outer lips drove her almost to orgasm by itself but it wasn't enough. He began groping around almost desperately and she remembered that he had no idea what he was doing or even what she might look like underneath her clothes.

She reached down and put her hand through the top of her knickers so that it lay on top of his. "Follow what I do Harry," She whispered huskily. It was a voice neither of them had ever heard before and neither could believe it had come from her.

She guided his fingers into her slit and slid them all the way down to her opening, gasping at the contact but unable to control to urge to educate him. "That is the entrance to my Vagina. I'm a virgin so I would rather not play with that no matter how good feels..." She moaned at the end as his fingers squirmed experimentally. They stopped at her words and she began guiding him back up toward the top of her slit. "Do you feel that little nub at the top?" She asked him.

He wiggled his fingers again and she cried out loud, "That one?" He asked at the same time. She could only nod for a brief moment.

"Please just make small circles, don't!" She gasped as he began, "Don't press to hard please, it doesn't take much pressure since there are just as many nerves in the clitoris as there are in the whole penis..." She trailed off as he figured it out. Apparently he was a natural once pointed in the right direction.

Soon she was riding her way toward ecstasy and Harry was breathing deeply right along with her, it took almost no time at all for her highly over stimulated body to approach orgasm. Harry seemed to sense this and sped up his pace; she screamed out loud as her orgasm, the first ever given to her by another being, rocked her body like none before had. Her back arched and only Harry's other arm behind her kept her from falling back to the desk and possibly injuring herself.

As her peak passed he seemed once again to sense it and slowed down to let her catch her breath until he was making only lazy circles. She caught the look in his eyes, it was pure wonder mixed with a huge amount of lust. Just when she thought they were finished he picked the pace back up again and to her amazement she felt another orgasm building. "OH Merlin! Harry...gods...please...HARREEEEEEE!" She screamed his name as the second orgasm, unbelievably bigger than the last one raced through her body and she nearly bit her tongue off trying to remain quiet. Meanwhile she almost recognized the look on Harry's face but couldn't place it. As his ministrations slowed once more he gently lowered her to the desktop where she collapsed into a puddle of post-orgasmic goo. He removed his hand from her knickers and sat it on her stomach which was still contracting at odd intervals as smaller aftershocks flowed through her.

Finally she was coherent enough to think about him, "I'm sorry Harry, why don't you let me return the favor?" She asked, not able to sit up yet but in a perfect position to grasp his manhood if he wanted.

"No need..." He said, blushing in embarrassment.

"What?" She asked as she slowly came back into her right mind.

"I sort of _relaxed_ the second time you did...made a mess of myself..."

He blushed again and she placed a hand on his cheek. "It's alright Harry, that's normal and besides, it saves me a bit of work." She said the last smiling and he laughed finally breaking the semi-serious mood they had put themselves in.

She sat up though the head rush threatened to put her back down for the count. "So we should probably get to work on practicing..."

"Yeah..." He responded. But when she tried to stand she found that her legs felt like a jelly-legs jinx had been cast on her.

"Uh...I think I'm a little too relaxed...can we do this tomorrow?"

He nodded and helped her up before taking her arm to steady her and casting the counters at the door to the classroom before they exited. They headed back up to the seventh floor and almost to Gryffindor Tower before either of them spoke again. "Hermione?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah?" She asked, still a bit dazed at the events of the day.

"Is this normal?" He asked with concern, he had been called a freak all his life after all. No need to add to the list.

"It is perfectly natural Harry. You shouldn't feel any guilt at all, I don't." That was a lie but she knew she was addicted to him now.

He perked up, "Oh! I never had a talk or anything so all I have to go off of is what the other blokes talk about in the dorm. I was worried we were doing something wrong."

"No Harry," She stopped them in a patch of hallway that lacked any paintings, "There is nothing wrong with what we are doing. In fact I think it is perfectly right. So don't feel guilty alright?"

"So it's normal for a guy to help a girl...relax that way?"

Hermione nodded as her mind was finally beginning to unfog. "And for a girl to help her male friends relax. Perfectly acceptable, my mother told me so." She was fighting an internal battle but was seriously afraid that Harry would fall into depression and call himself a freak if he found out it was not normal for people who weren't dating to do such things.

She sighed as the final weight left him and smiled at her, "Right then, so if I need to relax I can let you know. And if you need to relax all you have to do is ask."

His sudden forwardness threw her for a loop, "Okay, but like I said before, you tell no one about this right? What happens between a guy and a girl stays between them. I don't want to get a reputation."

"Why would you get a reputation if it's normal?" Harry asked suddenly suspicious.

"It only takes a bit of truth for a lie like that to take hold. I just don't want to chance it is all, I promise not to tell anyone."

"Not Ron?" He asked.

"Especially not Ron!" She exclaimed vehemently before blushing, she still fancied him and doubted he would understand that she and Harry were _relaxing_ buddies.

"Oh...alright. So don't ask don't tell right? And you work too hard sometimes, if I feel like you need it I'm going to help you relax whether you ask or not."

"Ditto." She said extending her hand. He took it and shook firmly sealing the deal.

He ran a hand through her hair quickly where some was displaced while relaxing; she blushed at the intimate gesture but thanked him once she realized what he was doing. Knowing it would do no good but longing to run her fingers through, she repeated his gesture trying to smooth his hair out.

Once they deemed each other presentable they headed back into the common room as if nothing had just happened between them. 'But then,' she told herself, 'nothing official did happen. Like he said, were just relaxing buddies, we don't have to change our best friend status just to _relax_ with each other...'


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. **

**Embarrassment and Contraceptives:**

**Chapter 4: The Second Task**

Date: Beginning shortly before the Second Task

Place: The Black Lake, Hogwarts

Subject: Hermione Granger

Age: 15

The ball had been a smashing success as far as Hermione was concerned, both Harry and Ron definitely knew she was a girl now, and Viktor had been the perfect gentleman, happy to go with a girl who wasn't a fan girl interested only in his fame. He had kissed her on the cheek as the dance wound down and she had been floating on cloud nine at the contact.

Then Ron happened.

Ron and Harry had ended up going with the Patil twins which would not have bothered her in the slightest...well maybe just a bit. But Ron had stared at her all night...not that she minded, at least not until she had gone to leave the ball and the great prat had ruined her night. Accusing her once again of fraternizing with the enemy and being into "Vicky" only for his fame; and then implying that she would do anything untoward...with Viktor anyway, anything untoward simply to get and keep his attention!

Unfortunately Harry had been caught up in her anger as well and she had sent them both off to bed as if they were little children. She felt awful about it, not the least reason being that she really didn't want them seeing her as a mother figure when she had finally convinced them she was a girl!

She had entered her dormitory in a huff to find Parvati gushing to Lavender and giggling uncontrollably. Normally this girly giggling didn't bother her but she had reached her limit, especially when she thought they were giggling at her! Honestly!

She chose instead to ignore them and quickly stripped and climbed into bed fighting off the tears that were still trying to fall but remaining quiet. She was trying to calm her mind and fall asleep so the dreadful evening would be over with when she overheard the two girls in conversation.

"I was so nervous! I mean first dance in front of all those people..."

"He really? I mean...really?"

"It was ...! ...said he was... Relax! ...didn't understand ...my dress ... Harry Freaking Potter...!"

"So you just let him...you slut!" Lavender exclaimed.

"Shhhhhh! ...Mione ...n't know! ...never forgive him ...like that!"

"So...how was it? Was he any good?"

"Are you kidding? Someone ...taught ...he was ...what I needed...I almost couldn't dance afterward!"

"So you forgive him for ditching you?"

"I think I could forgive anything after that..."

Hermione was shocked, but thought her brain must be playing tricks. Harry wouldn't just do that to a girl he barely spoke to! Bloody hormones!

It was now the day of the task and they were sitting down to eat breakfast when Professor McGonagall asked Hermione and Ron to accompany her to the Headmasters Office. Hermione had no clue why Professor Dumbledore would want to see her, she hoped it was something good and not something he found out...

_He couldn't know! I'm getting expelled! Wait, calm down Hermione...why is Ron here? Ron too? With who? The great prat, why wouldn't he do that with me!_ She waited until their head of house was not looking and smacked him on the shoulder and sent him the evil eye.

"What?" he exclaimed as he rubbed the sore spot.

Hermione didn't get a chance to explain as the Gargoyle leapt aside and Professor McGonagall ushered them to the spiral staircase. Once inside Professor Dumbledore offered them a candy and asked them to take a seat. Soon they were joined by Cho and Professor Flitwick.

_Ron and Cho! Harry will kill him!_

And not long after that by Madame Maxime and a little girl with blonde hair and startling blue eyes who looked a lot like...

"Ronald!" She smacked his shoulder again. _He couldn't get Fleur Delacour so he went after her little sister? What was the prat thinking?_

"Have you gone mental?" He exclaimed.

"Ah good, now that we are all here I must ask of you a favor." Dumbledore began with twinkling eyes.

_A favor? Then they must not be in trouble...but if that was the case... _Hermione blushed deeply but nodded at his concerned look. "Of..Of course Professor. What do you need from us?"

"The Second Task requires the champions to rescue a person."

Hermione gasped, "What they will miss the most! Of course!"

"Quite Miss Granger, now I have asked you here to participate in this task, you will not be harmed but simply made to go to sleep and you will wake up when your champion succeeds or fails. You will not be in any danger."

If the little girl was indeed Fleur's sister, and Cho went to the ball with Cedric...But she hadn't gone to the ball with Harry she had gone with... "Oh... well I suppose; are you certain we are the correct choice? Won't Harry be confused when he reaches us?"

"You certainly have faith in leetle Harry Potter Miss Granger. I hope it is not misplaced." The Headmistress said with a smile.

"Airry Pottair eez great! He eez not as good as mine Seester but he will do well Madame." The little Delacour girl said. Hermione couldn't help but smile, apparently Ginny had some competition for biggest fan girl.

"Yes, well I do not believe it will be an issue for the two of you to be there at one time. The defenders will only allow the champion to take their designated hostage."

That got her attention, "Wait Hostage? That sounds a bit more dangerous than you let on!" Ron said with a gulp.

"Yes Dumbleedore, am I to entrust zis young one to your care only to have her kidnapped?"

He spread his hands placatingly to all of them, "Rest assured that there will be no real danger to any of you. Now if you will take one of these vials you will be placed into an enchanted sleep and will awake once the task has run its course."

Hermione nodded and she and Ron both reached forward, Cho was not going to let a couple of fourth years upstage her and reached for her own. The French girl nodded and took her own vial before looking up at the older students. "Salute!" She said and knocked hers back.

The others did the same and soon the darkness crept into her vision sleep overtook her.

_Dark...cold...Ow!...light...AIR! _

Hermione opened her eyes and drew in a shuddering breath, _Draught of Living Death_, she thought to herself. _In combination with a charm of some sort to counteract the potion when we emerge from the lake...why does my ankle hurt..._

She turned toward a large splash beside her and screamed when the black eyes and gaping maw of a Great White shark greeted her. She began beating on it's nose having read that it was here that you could do the most damage, though you would probably still get eaten. _How the hell did a Great White Shark get into the Black Lake? I mean I know we have a Giant Squid but this is ridiculous!_

Still screaming and beating against the shark, she didn't realize she was being pushed toward the platform sat in the middle of the lake until a human arm appeared and waved a wand reversing the partial Transfiguration and leaving Hermione feeling rather foolish as Viktor, with a black eye and a bloody nose helped her onto the ladder. However her fight returned when she tried to put pressure on her ankle and found that she had been bitten!

She refused his help and made her way directly to Madame Pomfrey who set her to rights, she then turned around to find out how the other contestants were doing. Cedric and Cho were sharing a blanket and looking sickeningly cute together while Viktor continued to hover but refrained from getting close enough for her to hit him again after seeing the damage he had done to her leg.

That meant that the other four were still in the lake, Hermione began to bite her bottom lip in worry as she glanced up at the clock. There were only ten minutes remaining when Fleur Delacour scrambled from the lake and from the looks of her bathing suit, just barely alive. The girl was lucky there was enough material left of her one piece to remain decent.

But where was her sister? Hermione looked up at the clock again before marching toward Professor Dumbledore who was in a heated discussion with Madame Maxime and Fleur; she paused to find out what was going on.

"Non, vous êtes un idiot! Ils vont tuer ma sœur comme ils ont essayé de me tuer!" Fleur was nearly screaming at him in French. Hermione's brain kicked into overdrive trying to translate even as she continued to listen to the conversation.

"I assure you I had no idea Miss Delacour or I would never have subjected either of you to this...however Mr. Potter is still in the lake..." Her brain caught up at this point providing her with keywords from Fleur's outburst. _Idiot, kill sister, kill me_. Why would the sisters be in more danger than the others?

Veela...Merpeople... "Oh Merlin!" She exclaimed softly.

"Ze little boy? He cannot fly his fancy broom zis time Dumbleedore! You realize who Gabrielle's Father is non? Monsieur Delacour will cut ties with Britain for this!"

Dumbledore was desperately trying to recover the situation at this point. "As I said Mr. Potter..."

There was a splash from the lake and both Ron and Gabrielle emerged spluttering before they were helped up the ladder onto the platform. Fleur immediately attacked and began to smother her sister with kisses and hugs. Both girls had tears flowing freely.

"Appears to have saved the day." Dumbledore finished with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes.

That seemed to be Harry's cue because just then he surfaced and appeared to be throwing water up out of his lungs before being levitated up onto the platform to much applause. Hermione had almost completely ignored Ron who was surrounded by his family but the moment Harry had a blanket wrapped around him she attacked him with her famous Hermione Hug.

"You stupid noble idiot! You didn't have to save them both; you might have beaten Viktor back from what I overheard!"

He just shrugged and smiled at her, "Yeah but I didn't know that, I couldn't just leave her down there to die. Besides those Mermaids were a little too aggressive if you ask me." He said rubbing a spot under his chin that she only now saw was bleeding in three places...just like the tip of a Trident.

Before she could call Madame Pomfrey over Harry was bowled over by two blonde missiles that began kissing his cheeks, his forehead and his lips. Leaving him completely dazed.

"You save my Seester! I am sorry, you are not leetle boy. You are my 'ero!" Fleur exclaimed.

"Oui, mon Cavalier! If you need _anything_ from me you 'ave only to ask 'Arry." The seductive gaze and tone from the little girl was giving Hermione very bad thoughts. She couldn't be more than nine!

Both girls were thankfully dragged away by Madame Maxime but Fleur made certain to stop and give Ron a kiss on the cheek as well for helping however involuntarily at the end. He accepted it with the grace of any true Weasley by blushing the color of his hair.

"Sonorus...MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE? WE HAVE THE RESULTS FROM THE SECOND TASK." Dumbledore's voice rang out above the crowd.

"FIRST PLACE FOR THIS TASK GOES TO CEDRIC DIGGORY WHO USED A BUBBLEHEAD CHARM TO GREAT EFFECT!" The Hogwarts crowd went wild.

"IN SECOND IS VIKTOR CRUM WITH 40 POINTS!" Durmstrang was now banging on the railing and stomping their feet. Hermione was upset; he should have lost more points for biting her!

"FLEUR DELACOUR WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE HER TASK LEAVING HER WITH THE DEFAULT OF 25 POINTS. WHICH LEAVES HARRY POTTER, WHO AT RISK TO HIMSELF AND IGNORING HIS CHANCE TO WIN RESCUED BOTH REMAINING HOSTAGES. ALTHOUGH HE CAME IN THIRD THE JUDGES HAVE AGREED TO AWARD MISTER POTTER 45 POINTS! FINITE."

The crowd went wild once more once Hogwarts realized that both of their champions were tied for first with 85 points total. Hermione really wanted to stay close to Harry but he was promptly mobbed by the student population. Instead she figured she would meet him later, before she could get into the boat to head back for the castle she was stopped by Viktor.

"Herminoninny? May ve speak a moment?"

She turned with a slight glare, still upset with him. "Viktor." She said coldly.

"I am sorry I bite you, my partial transfiguration vas possibly bad idea. I simply vish to remain friends." He said contritely.

With a sigh she lost the rest of her anger, he had not meant to bite her after all. "Fine Viktor, I would like that very much. Just keep your teeth where I can see them."

He smiled a bit crookedly and continued to do so all the way back up to the school.

Not knowing yet what the last task would be Hermione allowed Harry some time off to go play some chess with Ron leaving her free for once to do whatever she wanted. Unfortunately more and more lately what she wanted was to spend time with Harry relaxing. Not that he would have minded but they hadn't had any time to "relax" since before the second task and Hermione had apparently become accustomed to a certain level of "relaxation".

The conversation she overheard between Parvati and Lavender still bothered her but she couldn't exactly corner Harry about his actions. She herself had been the one to convince him that it was perfectly natural for male and female friends to do such things. She hated herself for lying to him but was rather unhappy with her roommate for not putting a stop to it! "Useless, all of them!" She exclaimed quietly.

"Who's useless?" Ginny asked as she sat down on the couch beside her.

Hermione panicked, she hadn't meant to speak aloud. "Oh uh...your brother."

Ginny smiled, "You'll have to be a bit more specific, see I have six of them."

"Ron then, at least for the moment...actually I stand by my earlier statement." She said as she eyed Fred or George offering sweets to a First Year.

"They aren't all bad, Bill and Charlie are the greatest, you just haven't been exposed to all that the Weasley's can offer." Ginny said with a shrug.

Hermione turned back to the girl, "Why can't you be like this around Harry? If he saw the real you he would certainly be interested?" _Where had that come from? Was she projecting?_

Ginny blushed but spoke, "I don't know, this is how I usually am...I just...when I'm around Harry I clam up, my hands get all sweaty and it's all I can do not to trip over my own feet. It's my mum's fault for telling me those bloody stories." The redhead said with a dark look.

_Why am I doing this? _She asked herself, only to be answered by another voice. _Because she is your best girlfriend and you don't really want Harry...do you?_ "Well if you can't get over that then you don't have a chance. I'm sorry but that's just how it is...maybe if you dated other people for awhile to take your mind off of him?" _Ah, that's why you sneaky backstabber!_

Ginny seemed to ponder the suggestion for a moment, "You really think that will work? I can't stand not being able to even be in the same room with him." She looked down in shame.

"I think it couldn't hurt, besides, maybe he isn't the perfect man for you. How will you know if you haven't looked around a bit?"

Ginny leaned in and gave her a nice long hug...too long...long enough for her mother's words to come back to her... _"Now if you were to find yourself with urges for one of your dorm mates, or possibly one of your better girl friends, like Ginny. Then Ginny could also use this method on you, or you on her. We won't shun you if you decide you like girls better than boys."_

She disengaged quickly from the hug but as she saw the look of confusion begin to form on Ginny's face she used her typical excuse. "Uh, Sorry. Don't know why but you just reminded me of something I needed to look up in the...uh...library. Bye!" With that she grabbed her book bag and ran from the common room.

Later that night Hermione lay in her bed unable to get to sleep, and too worked up to relax... _There is that damned word again!_ She thought to herself. She hated to admit it but Harry's unskilled fingers were ten times better than anything she could do to herself and it had been too long.

Still, she was alone in her dorm for the moment so she drew her curtains closed and slipped her hand into her knickers. She took it slow trying to recreate the feelings Harry stirred within her. Unfortunately the material was getting in her way so she quickly slid the offending garment down her legs to her knees and went back to work.

In her mind's eye she began replaying their last time together though this time after he got her off with his fingers he kneeled on the floor and slid her panties all the way off of her legs leaving her sex exposed to him for the first time. The very thought of it caused a shudder to run through her body. To share something that intimate with someone, especially Harry. He then slowly leaned forward and kissed her, down there, in response to her daydream her body gave another involuntary shudder as she worked furiously on herself.

Her other hand came up and fondled her left breast through the thin material of her nightgown. She tweaked her nipple lightly and stifled a moan as she realized she hadn't silenced the curtains before starting, but there was no way in hell she was stopping now to do so. She was almost there...

Unfortunately she heard the door open and two giggling females entered the room. Hermione quickly stilled the hand between her legs and shoved her left fist into her mouth to muffle the scream of frustration at being interrupted before she began blindly reaching for her wand.

"Lavender I can't believe you!"

"What you started it, I honestly didn't believe you. I mean Harry has hardly noticed that girls are different at all before this year!"

"But you just...in the common room...Oh I am so tense!"

Lavender giggled again, "It worked didn't it? I mean I had to test to see if he was observant enough to catch my meaning, and then to see if he actually thought that the best way to help me relax was...well you know!"

"I do! So you followed him to an empty classroom?"

"Yeah...lucky though that I was already nearly dripping because there wasn't any foreplay! But you were right; someone taught him what parts do what. He didn't even try to go inside."

"Did you want him to?" Parvati asked sounding a bit scandalized.

"Well, I mean my wand is only good for so much..."

Hermione got a mental flash of Lavender using her wand as a phallic object while in a position similar to her current one and felt another involuntary shudder run through her. Then the idea of Harry putting his fingers inside her...

She shoved her pillow over her face and her fingers resumed their actions as she pushed herself over the edge and managed only to moan rather than a light scream.

"What was that?" _Oh bugger, oh bugger_

"Is Hermione already in bed? Crap, do you think she heard me?"

"I don't know..."

Hermione gathered her courage and rolled over enough to pull the sheet on before sighing as if she were having a nice dream...and indeed the sigh was entirely heartfelt though she wasn't certain about the imagery that led to her current nirvana like state.

"Nice dream I guess, I hope I get one of those." Parvati commented.

"I don't need one." Lavender sing-songed and both of the other girls devolved into giggles.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. **

**Embarrassment and Contraceptives:**

**Chapter 5: Third Task: The Day Before**

Date: Beginning shortly before the Third Task

Place: The Library, Hogwarts

Subject: Hermione Granger

Age: 15

"It's just a maze Hermione, how hard can it be really?"

For what had to be the fifth time that night Ron was spouting off about how stupidly simple the third task of the famed Tri-wizard Tournament. "In case you didn't notice Ronald. The first task was simple also, all he had to do was get the egg!"

"But there were dragons in the first task! This is totally different!"

As usually happened Harry sat back and tried to tune them out as he read through every advanced spellbook he could get his hands on trying to find as many ways possible that might be useful in any given situation. Hermione noticed quickly, unlike usual and held a hand up to Ron to forestall his continued arguing.

"Ron look, we don't know what he is going to face and he only has one day left!"

Ron nodded in agreement with her, never a good sign. "Exactly! So he shouldn't be wasting his time studying. He should be having fun to blow off steam and, you know..." He began looking around the room to find the right word.

_Don't say it! Please don't say it?_

"Relax! He should be relaxing instead of reading a bunch of stuff that will only confuse him in a fight." Ron finished triumphantly.

Harry perked up at the word and his eyes locked with Hermione who had been avoiding that subject for the past few weeks. Even as she tried to stop her bodies response her mind began wandering.

There had apparently been more than a few incidents before and after the second task where Harry's _reputation_ began to spread around the castle. She had only been able to confirm four of the girls first hand but was able to extrapolate his activities to include at least eight others who had "relaxed" with Harry at some point. It shouldn't have bothered her as much as it did; after all she was the one who told him it was perfectly natural. She had taken advantage of his sheltered upbringing and now he was paying the price by taking a hit to his reputation.

Meanwhile she had ceased even thinking about going to him as much as possible until she figured out what the hell was going on with her. She was completely smitten with him by this point but the problem was she had begun dreaming about other girls as well. It was all her mothers fault; talking about going to an all girl school and experimenting with the same sex. It just wasn't natural!

Then Ginny had given her that extra long hug, and then she had orgasmed while thinking of Lavender with a wand buried to the hilt inside of her. The brakes had been slammed on and she hadn't even taken to touching herself let along Harry. Meanwhile he had continued to help these other girls "relax". It was extremely frustrating.

Finally she had enough two weeks ago and confronted him about it! Well, not so much _confronted_ as spoken with him about it.

_"Harry can we talk?"_

_It was nearing midnight and they were the only two in the common room, they both had books open on their laps and were sitting rather comfortably on the couch...a bit too comfortably truth be told. Not that she hadn't always leaned against his side as they studied together, but suddenly it was more than friendly and she wasn't ready to go there yet._

_Harry's eyes snapped to hers and he looked like he had been caught in the headlights of an oncoming Lorry. "Uh...I guess?"_

_She sat up and turned toward him, marking her place and setting her book aside as she did so. "It has come to my attention that you have been helping a lot of girls relax lately." There, she got it out without stuttering. Gryffindor courage and clinical curiosity were the only things keeping her heart from pounding straight out of her chest._

_"I guess?" He answered in much the same way, looking confused but knowing instinctively he was in trouble for some reason._

_"Do you think I go around just helping any boy who asks me relax Harry?"_

_He shook his head, "Of course not, you aren't a scarlet woman."_

_She nodded and tamped down her anger at the sexist remark he didn't realize he had offered. "Correct, there is nothing wrong with sex, or exploring with close friends..." This had been much easier in her mirror, behind her closed and silenced curtains. With him in front of her the full force of her lie was pressing down on her. "However; if a girl were to do that with more than one boy at a time she would be labeled a scarlet woman. Now why is it okay for you to do it but not me?"_

_She could see the gears turning behind his eyes before he spoke, "I just wanted to help! I didn't know the girls in this school were repressing so much tension."_

_"But shouldn't you be called a man-whore or scarlet man or whatever for doing that?"_

_"But Padma told me...or was it Parvati...do you know how hard it is to tell those two apart without house colors on? Anyway Patil told me the same thing you did, that there was nothing wrong with it!"_

_She nodded reluctantly while controlling the sudden lightning strike of jealousy, not like she could tell him it was wrong without admitting to her transgression. Did that mean he had played with both of them? "No there isn't anything wrong with it Harry, but you should really limit it to just close friends or some people will talk."_

_He shrugged, she didn't like that. "What do I care about people talking, I was not the one setting the Basilisk on Muggleborn and I am not a glory hound who entered my own name in the Goblet. Screw those people."_

_This wasn't going the way she had imagined it, his arguments were too good against her flimsy set of lies. "Fine, just... please can you only do it for close friends like me? I don't want to see you get a reputation like that."_

_"Close friends only? So you and Ron..." His face seemed to go a bit green but she couldn't be certain in the candle and firelight._

_"No! I mean... No I don't do... that... with Ron..."_

_"Oh? Oh! I mean I thought you liked him..."_

_"I do I just don't want to get a reputation for it and you know Ron wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut..."_

_He sighed and thought for what seemed an hour to her, "You're right of course, you're always right. Fine, only close friends and only if they really need it..." She noted with some trepidation that his eyes were darkening and he licked his lips as he glanced at her. "So do you want to... you know?"_

_Time to make your stand Granger! "No Harry... we really should only do that when the tension is bad. Like before a task, not just because my shoulders hurt."_

_He frowned but nodded his agreement with her grudgingly. "Would you like a shoulder massage then?" He finally asked._

_This was new, and exciting in its own right for some strange reason. There was almost no touch barrier between them to break but it was just so casual compared to getting each other off that it was novel. "I... I'd like that Harry. Thank you."_

"Earth to Hermione!" Ron called, snapping her attention back to the here and now with a blush.

"What?" She asked in annoyance.

"You totally spaced! I think you're studying too hard as well!" Ron quipped.

Maybe he was right, but she could see the lust in Harry's eyes and didn't really want to deal with that at the moment, she might cave. "I...you're right Ron."

"What?" He asked. Suddenly quite confused.

"I said you are correct, we should take the night off and go to bed like normal people. The books will still be here tomorrow and we have all day to put together any last minute plans for the Third Task."

"Oh... right then... So we can go to sleep?" He asked cautiously.

"Yes Ronald, we can go to sleep." She emphasized the last word as she caught Harry's eye. His face immediately fell and she could have sworn she just kicked his puppy; it was a rather empowering feeling.

**Authors Note: This is all I have at the moment, review will definitely help as nice as favorite stories/authors are reviews are the oil that makes the machine move, and pays my Muse. I held a vote on my yahoo group and this story won out for what I should do after Searching For The Power.**

**For now I have the first section of chapter six written but I want to finish my other story first. As always I'm looking for random plot bunny/challenges to keep my Muse working and happy so feel free to pass them my way. The responses will most likely be posted to . com/group/gml_fanfic (which is also a good place for you to post them in the first place)**

**In any case, thanks for reading and I hope to update this story again soon, but no promises until SFTP is done.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. **

**Embarrassment and Contraceptives:**

**Chapter 6: Third Task: The Day Of**

Date: Shortly before the Third Task

Place: Myrtles Bathroom, Hogwarts

Subject: Hermione Granger

Age: 15

She needed to be alone to think, her dorm was out because _'those bitches'_ had every right to be there as well. The Common room was out because Harry or Ginny might be there and she couldn't face either of them at the moment, and the Library was out because despite hating the term she was indeed, a book worm; and the others knew where to look when she couldn't be found in her other haunts.

So she ended up in the one place most people wouldn't go, at least not this late in the year once the first -year girls had stumbled in or been warned away. She was currently sniffling sadly to herself in the second stall of Myrtles bathroom, her only saving grace being that the ghost herself was mysteriously absent.

"This really is a lovely place to cry isn't it?"

Hermione nearly jumped over the stall door as Myrtle stuck her head through the toilet, between her knees. After years of dealing with ghosts she was ashamed she could still be startled by such things, but then again being startled nearly out of your bladder was not the same as being scared.

"Oh...hello Myrtle."

"You and Harry promised to visit me you know, I never told about your potion." The ghost said as she floated up to hover in front of her visitor, half of her hanging out the other side of the closed door.

Hermione nodded, "I'm sorry, I'm sure you know how busy Harry's life can be...we just forgot."

The ghost sniffed, "Of course! Everyone forgets about miserable mopey moaning Myrtle!"

"No no! Harry's life was literally in danger last year, and this year he has the tourney to deal with! I promise we didn't forget YOU just to come visit you!"

The ghost seemed somewhat mollified and smiled, "That's okay, Harry ended up keeping me company anyway.'

Hermione perked up a bit, "Oh? When was this?"

"Well," She said with a dreamy look, "There I was hanging out in the prefects bathroom and chatting with the mermaid when who do you think snuck in to take a bath?"

"He wouldn't! He could get expelled or detention for being in there!"

"He did, it was before the second task and he was having trouble with his clue egg. The nice Diggory boy listened to it under the water while I watched...though he was wearing a bathing costume at the time."

"Well the bath IS co-ed, I thought all the prefects were supposed to wear bathing costumes and then shower in the separate facilities."

Myrtle nodded with a huge grin, "They are, not all of them do mind you but I haven't seen a professor in there in a couple of decades. You wouldn't believe the things that prefects get up to behind that closed door. I suggested that Cedric bring Cho with him sometime."

Hermione had wanted to be a prefect for a long time, but suddenly she was wondering just what they got up to in the hall of Hogwarts...patrolling together after curfew...they would have to know all the best places to snog of course...so they could catch people... "What were you saying about Harry?"

"Oh, well he stripped down to the full monty before getting in the water, I wasn't going to stop him of course!'

Hermione's mind had frozen up for the moment and she nodded dumbly, "Of course..."

"So I was watching him get himself nice and clean...though he didn't spend enough time on certain parts as far as I was concerned, the other prefect boys normally do when they are alone..." Hermione's mouth went dry as she was both icked by what might be in the water if it wasn't drained when the person left...and intrigued with the idea of...

"So anyway I tell Harry how Cedric figured out his clue, silly boy was very cute when he turned red. But after a moment he shrugged off his embarrassment and went under water with me. Then I got him to promise to come back some time so I wouldn't tell on him" She giggled the last bit.

"Oh? Myrtle you really should stop blackmailing people..."

"But that's not any fun!"

"So why are you so happy at the moment? Forgive me but it isn't your...usual...demeanor."

"Oh well that's easy, Harry came back to the Prefects bathroom looking to relax, unfortunately he was alone again. So I went to keep him company; You know he really is a very good listener." Hermione nodded her agreement. "So as I'm telling him about my troubles he says he wishes he could help me relax a bit. "

"Oh no..."

"Oh yes! I don't know which girl got him started on that but its all over the bathrooms, I have to hide to hear the gossip mind you or people avoid me, but he has been helpful on that front for many girls."

Hermione buried her face in her hands as the tears returned.

"So as I knew exactly what he was talking about I said, _'Well Harry you can't help me, but you can watch me while I watch you relax ourselves.' _It was really very lovely. None of the boys have ever done that for me even when I offered to strip for them. Not even the naughty prefects."

"Oh Morgana!" Hermione began bawling again and for once Myrtle was the one made to feel uncomfortable...enough so that she went back to her U-bend with an apology instead of a splash. "What have I done? I've turned him into a sexual predator of some kind all because I couldn't tell him the truth!"

She found Harry freaking out in the Gryffindor common room; Ron was trying to get him to play a game of chess and as she watched more than one girl had whispered something in his ear before his eyes went wide and he politely declined. She noticed with much guilt, that each time he had to turn one away he seemed to get even more tense.

She walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, hating how he immediately tensed up before looking over his shoulder and a huge look of relief washed over his face. "Hey Hermione!"

"Harry can I talk to you?"

His eyes darted around the room, "Sure."

"Somewhere a little more...private?" She asked feeling like a scarlet woman, luckily Ron noticed nothing as Seamus sat down to play chess with him.

"Ohgodyes!" He said standing up straight and grabbing her hand before leading her toward the portrait hole.

She reflected as he led her down the hallway and to the stairs, she had to confess. There was nothing else for it but to tell him the truth and hope he didn't hate her. As they hit the third floor he took off down the hall where Fluffy had been, knowing that there were plenty of abandoned classrooms available.

Once inside he sealed the door and leaned nervously against the teachers desk before letting out a huge sigh.

"Harry I-" "Hermione I..." They started at the same time, his eyes narrowed in confusion as he clammed up to let her speak.

"Go ahead Harry..." She said trying to be diplomatic.

"Um...I just... I don't know what else to do, and I know you must have changed your mind about this since you haven't helped me relax in awhile. But I can't find anything else that does the trick..."

Her heart broke at his tone and the lost look on his face; _Just this one last time...for the task! I'll tell him afterward..._ "I said it should only be for big things, I think the third task qualifies..." She said blushing.

His eyes widened though he could hardly hold in his smile. "Oh... right then... so should we just do it then?" he asked nervously licking his lips.

"I suppose so..." she said suddenly feeling nervous herself. Their sessions had taken on a whole different meaning to what he must be feeling so she was ready to be clinical about it for his sake.

Sensing her nervousness he licked his lips again..."I can..um...do you first if you want. You should get something out of this."

She was rather caught off guard even as the familiar heat started to rush through her body. "I guess that would be okay..."

Now having the semblance of a plan he went into action with confidence he wasn't really feeling. He stood up and pulled her over to the desk, smiling shyly at her as he helped her sit on the desk. He moved in close and sensing her tension, gave her a hug and whispered in her ear. "Nothing changes in our relationship right? We're just friends helping each other relax."

Despite her waring emotions her hormones were taking over and she nodded, he didn't notice she was staring at his lips trying desperately not to kiss him. Smiling he pushed her lightly, guiding her to lay down on the desk before running his hands lightly up her legs to the knee and back to her ankles in a slow semi-erotic massage. She closed her eyes and concentrated on trying to slow her heartbeat as his fingers slowly inched higher until he began pushing her skirt up around her thighs.

She didn't notice that he had gone to his knees between her legs, or realize she had unthinkingly spread her knees in response to his searching hands. Fantasies were coming unbidden to her mind and she was losing herself when she felt his fingers against the cotton of her knickers.

Glancing up at her face so he could judge when to stop he took a deep breath and moved his fingers inside the material, making her moan lightly as he ran them through her curls and don't the outside of her labia; getting a small buck of her hips as encouragement. Feeling bold he used his other hand to pull the material to the side, nervous as all get out that she was going to stop him. And just like that he was staring at her hairy but well kept Mons for the first time and feeling the pressure in his boxers reach almost never before reached heights. His hips bucked a bit in response to the visual stimulae.

Leaning in close for a better look he shifted a bit and used his right hand to slowly spread her open, breathing in sharply as pink was exposed as well as the little pearl that he had, up til now, only imagined in his gropings. Freeing one finger on his left hand he slowly began circling the tiny nub getting an actual moan of pleasure from her this time. He kept up his pace as her hips bucked and as she neared her orgasm her body arched up off the desk, and he watched as the entrance to her vagina puckered and closed as it began to wash over her.

"Oh Harry...just like that..." She said with eyes still closed and lips parted as she panted trying to force oxygen to her brain.

Having read descriptions in Playwizard as well as Muggle periodicals he leaned closer and licked his lips in anticipation. Still keeping an eye on her reactions so he could stop immediately if she judged he was going too far; he breathed onto her Mons getting another buck before steeling his nerves and running his tongue from her entrance to her clit.

"Harry!" She said eyes opening wide in panic at what he was doing. He immediately backed away scared but didn't release the garment.

"Sorry! I couldn't help myself...We can stop now if you want..."

Still in panic mode she raised up enough to look at him, biting her lip in concentration before hormones won out over brains; and she nodded once before laying back down.

Not believing this was happening he leaned in again licked her again, this time she tensed up but said nothing before forcing herself to relax again. "That feels good Harry..." She said quietly.

Taking a deep breath he leaned in again and lapped at her repeatedly, a small giggle escaped her even as pleasure washed through. "That still feels good Harry but not good enough...can...can you use your tongue the same way you use your fingers?"

She felt him nod before his warm wet tongue swirled over and around her clit causing her to gasp and her eyes closed tightly again not believing this was actually happening. She knew she was forgetting something her mother had said but the intense pleasure, on a level far exceeding anything they had done before, was forcing logical thought from her head. All that existed was that point of connection, his warm mouth on her hot wet unmentionable place. She felt so dirty and so good all at once even as her orgasm threatened to rip through her, she saw a brief flash of blue as she finally remembered the dental dams in her trunk upstairs, but she could really care less at the moment as she finally tipped over the edge.

Harry rode the bucking of her hips with his head as she came, a gush of warm fluid flowed down his chin but he didn't let up, only slowing slightly as the larger tremors subsided before going back to lapping at her, enjoying the taste of the new fluid that was not quite gushing. After she was fully relaxed again and making mewing noises he finally backed off, putting her knickers back in place and standing up. Waiting nervously for her to say something.

Her mind still dizzy she looked up at the ceiling and sighed in pleasure before remembering it was HIM that was supposed to be relaxing. She sat up, nearly falling all the way forward as the blood rushed to her head before catching herself and looking at his glistening face. She promptly blushed scarlet.

"Oh god..." She said covering her face in embarrassment

"What?" He asked in confusion.

"I made such a mess...I didn't know that would happen..."

"It's okay really...I kinda like it..." he said just as nervous as she was. She opened her fingers enough to look through them at his concerned face.

"Really? I just...I feel so dirty..."

"Oh well we can scourgify you if that's what you mean..."

"No Harry...I feel dirty on the inside. Girls aren't supposed to...do that...I don't think..."

He shrugged, "I thought it was beautiful...really I don't mind..." Then he smiled at her and made her melt. Pushing those thoughts away she remembered her mission.

"Um...well then I guess it's your turn... We were supposed to me helping you if you remember."

He shrugged again, "I thought that was great...we don't have to do anything else if you want..."

'"No!" She ejaculated before blushing again, "I mean I don't mind..."

Nodding he moved to the desk as she vacated it and adjusted her clothing back to something resembling proper. He undid his belt, button and zipper sliding them down to his knees leaving him just in his boxers but she shook her head. "No need to make the mess harder to clean up Harry."

With a nervous smile he nodded and took a deep breath before standing enough to slide his boxers down as well exposing his raging hard on to her before sitting back down. She moved the couple of inches to place herself between his knees before repeating his action from before and pushing him back onto the desk without any protest from him.

She wrapped her hand around his stiff pole and began stroking him, causing him to moan in appreciation. She suddenly, _really_ wanted to return the favor and summoned her Gryffindor courage before pulling one of the condoms her mother had provided from her pocket, feeling guilty for being prepared when she was supposed to be putting a stop to this.

He looked up in confusion when she stopped stroking him and opened the wrapper, pulling the rolled up rubber sheath from it and remembering the banana with a blush. "What are you doing Mione?"

Normally she hated any shortening of her name; Herms, Hermy, Her, Ne and Mione had been the kinder things children had called her while teasing but when Harry said it she felt a warm rush of familiarity. It was something she would only let him call her. "Returning the favor..." She said quietly as she sat the prophylactic on the head of his penis, pinching the reservoir as her mother has shown her before slowly rolling it down his shaft. He winced as a hair was caught and she apologized immediately before carefully completing her task.

"You really don't have to..."

"Yes," She interrupted him, "I think I do. You need to be as relaxed as you can for the task and besides...you went to the next level for me... it's only fair that you get the same." Her nerves got the better of her as she began to ramble a bit. "Really I should have stopped you since we didn't have protection, but those things are so weird and I didn't have any with me and besides, they are meant to stop STD's which you shouldn't have unless you've..." She gulped, not really wanting to know. He had been pretty good after a bit of direction after all. "Done that with another girl..." She trailed off in small voice.

He shook his head, "That was...er, my first time. Was it...was it good?"

She let out a relieved breath and thanked whatever god was listening before nodding, "It was amazing Harry, now shut up and let me do this!"

He smiled at her tone and laid down before saluting awkwardly. "Yes ma'am!"

Suppressing the urge to giggle, but not able to stop the roll of her eyes she steeled herself and leaned toward his cock. She grasped the base and closed her eyes tightly before running her tongue up the shaft to the head where she knew the most nerves were. Deciding to experiment a little she did the same all around and mentally thanked her mother for getting flavored condoms, even if she would now NEVER be able to eat a banana without blushing again.

After a few minutes he cleared his throat nervously, "Uh...Mione?"

"Hmmm?" She said looking up at him, the sight of her grasping his cock as her tongue finished its course nearly made him cum right then, but he continued, "Uh...that feels really good but it's not going to do the job..." He chuckled at basically repeating her words from earlier.

She blushed a bit but nodded in understanding before once again steeling herself and popping the head of it into her mouth. He groaned and nearly gave himself a concussion as his head hit the desk but said nothing else, not wanting that warm wet feeling to go away so she could talk.

Thinking back to the texts she had read on how to perform fellatio she began pumping with the hand wrapped around the base of his cock in time with the bobbing of her head and swirling of her tongue. She was definitely not an expert but he didn't care, there was no such thing as a bad blow job as long as there were no teeth. Luckily she knew enough to keep her lips tightly over hers as she continued; with her other hand she began fondling his testicles lightly while increasing her rhythm.

In almost no time after that he shouted out a warning before cumming like a geyser inside the rubber. She could feel the pulsing against her tongue as the reservoir filled to capacity and began to fill around the head as well. She kept pumping and licking until he begged her to stop. Gasping desperately for air.

Once she realized he was done she stoop up quickly and looked around the room nervously. "So...was that good Harry?"

He could only nod as he was still breathing deeply and rapidly, unwilling to move from his position on the desk. She smirked just a bit as the now familiar feeling of power washed over her. It was heady knowing she could reduce him to this, and she suspected it was the same for him when she was nothing but a pile of goo on the desk after he had finished.

"Relaxed now?" She asked jokingly causing him to chuckle, which in turn caused her to laugh. "You have no idea..."

"I have some idea Mr. Potter, you were pretty good yourself."

He slowly sat up, repeating her performance from earlier in trying not to fall all the way forward from the head rush. "I was wasn't I?" he asked with a cheeky grin causing her to blush once again and all she could do was nod.

Silence fell on them then and he soon stood and nervously pulled his pants and trousers back up, making himself presentable again. '"So..." he said completely at a loss for how to proceed.

"So...?" She asked.

"So...we should do this more often." He said once again with that cheeky smile on his face that made her want to melt or beat him about the head. She clammed up then as she remembered this was supposed to be the last time. But seeing the look in his eyes she couldn't tell him, not right before the task. She realized that her crush was suddenly something else and it scared her to death, a little _relaxation_ was all well and fine, but if she told him what she was actually feeling it would change everything!

Instead she nodded and held out a hand to him to help him from his seated position. He quickly righted his lower half and removed the silencing and locking spells before heading back to the common room. Neither of them consciously realized they were still holding hands when they walked back in, but most of the girls in the room did.

Hermione was ambushed that night when she entered the fourth year girls room. "So is it true what the rumors are saying?" Parvati asked with a squeal and a smile.

Lavender led her to her bed and sat both of them down, "And will you share him?"

She was instantly filled with jealous rage but was able to calm it before it showed on her face, "What rumor?" She asked the Indi girl.

"That you and Harry finally made it official of course!"

"Made what official? Harry and I are just friends." She hoped the dejected feeling didn't make it into her voice.

"Oh!" Parvati said before sharing a look with Lavender. "So then...he's free to date?"

_You aren't his type you silly bints! _"Yes, he is free to date anyone he chooses, though we all know Ginny has called dibs."

Lavender snorted at that, "As if, she can't even talk to him let alone ask him out or get him to ask. So then...what was with the holding hands when you came back? You were practically glowing like..." She shut up suddenly, unfortunately Parvati was not under any compulsion to hold back.

"Like you had just had a great _relaxing_ session!"

She blushed to her toes but controlled her voice, "No, nothing like that...we were holding hands because we're best friends and I helped him not to be so worked up about the next task."

Lavender smelled blood though, "I'm sure you helped him _relax_ the best way you knew how, he seems much better now at any rate."

"Lav!" Parvati admonished, "I'm sure Hermione isn't like that! Besides, she wouldn't kiss and tell even if she were... So he really is on the market still?"

Hermione snorted in anger, "He is free to date whomever he wishes! Now if you will excuse me I have had a long day and I am going to take a shower!"

She stormed off to the loo which was thankfully empty and sobbed quietly, glad at least that the water would hide her tears.

_After the task._

That was what she had told herself all night, she would tell him after the task what she had done and that he simply couldn't go around doing_ that_ with so many girls. Though the number didn't seem to actually be as big as rumor and gossip had led her to believe and he _had_ stopped after their talk earlier in the year. She still felt awful about the whole thing and only hoped he would forgive her when she explained it to him. She _had_ been trying to help him relax and it _had_ worked, she hadn't lied about all of it...she just hadn't confessed that it was not "normal" per se to do that with your best friend.

There wasn't anything inherently _wrong_ with what she had done, she had just been too embarrassed to tell the truth. She still blamed her mother for getting her into this; in some other universe she was positive that Harry would have handled everything just fine without _relaxing_ quite like that before each task.

The stadium was filled to overflowing with spectators and a rag-tag band was playing what they considered music down on the field as the contestants had entered the Maze. Now however she was reflecting on how stupid it was for so many people to show up, only to watch the outside of the maze for what seemed now like _hours_. The crowd had died down and the band had stopped playing, and without the distraction she was left with her guilt and self doubt...and the nagging feeling that something was dreadfully wrong.

Red sparks had been sent up and Fleur retrieved from the maze twenty minutes ago where she described being attacked by Viktor. An argument had ensued amongst the judges but Hermione knew there was no rule against the competitors attacking one another inside the maze if they came across each other, and was not surprised when a fuming Madame Maxime had sat down with a visibly relieved Dumbledore and an agitated but smug looking Karkaroff.

However what caught her attention was when the Durmstrang headmaster had grabbed his arm with an alarmed look before disappearing from the judges box. She knew he, like Snape, had turned states evidence to escape from imprisonment for being a Death Eater a decade before. That he was grabbing _that_ arm was enough to cause anyone worry. That Dumbledore didn't seem concerned was disconcerting and her sense of dread grew to drown out her nagging doubts and self recriminations. That was when she noticed something even more disturbing.

Professor Moody had been about to take a drink from his ever-present flask when he seemed to seize for a moment, dropping the flask and spilling the contents unseen along the hedgerow that made up this side of the maze. There were too many odd things happening at the moment for her liking and Dumbledore appeared to have overdosed on lemon drops or something. She couldn't believe she was questioning the greatest wizard practically since Merlin or the Founders but she had to do something.

Standing suddenly she got strange looks from those around her including Ron and Ginny. "What's going on Hermione?" Ron asked in confusion.

"I don't know, something isn't right though. I need to speak with the Headmaster!"

Ginny raised an eyebrow, "Good luck getting there through the crowd, the stands aren't exactly made for easy maneuvering."

Hermione wasn't really listening as she turned and started making her way before the girl had even finished speaking. Once again she reflected on just how stupid it was that they had all shown up to sit and watch a bunch of leaves when the contest was obscured to the entire crowd. Aside from someone throwing sparks how was anyone to know something had gone wrong before it went horribly wrong?"

Halfway to the headmaster however there was the flash of a portkey and Harry was standing on the ground a hundred yards from the stands. Relief flooded her momentarily as that awful band started up again and the crowds cheered. But Harry was screaming something as he collapsed to his knees once more drawing their attention to the ground where Cedric lay unmoving. The crowd went silent at nearly the same time as the band did and instantly you could hear Harry...not screaming, bawling. Amos Diggory rushed onto the field and immediately pulled his son to him with tears running down his face. Dumbledore was right behind him looking no longer like the barmy grandfather but the imposing man who was the only one Voldemort feared. He quickly held a whispered conversation with Harry before turning and addressing the crowd.

Hermione didn't hear what he said though, she was to busy watching Moody pull Harry back up toward the school unnoticed by anyone else. She hadn't even realized she was still moving when she reached the headmaster's side.

"Sir! There was something off about Professor Moody just now, he's taking Harry!"

The old man's head shot up in the direction of the castle before he sped off much more quickly than his normal demeanor would lead you to think with Hermione in his wake. The sequence of events after that was all a blur as "Moody" was revealed to be Barty Crouch Jr, the real Mad-Eye was found in his trunk, Harry's life had been in danger _again_ from the impersonator and somewhere along the way Fudge had Crouch kissed by a Dementor. Hermione's head was spinning but all she could think about was the fact that Harry was safe, that she had gotten to hug him...a little too long for _just friends_ really, but he had nearly died...at least _twice_! She wasn't positive if she had actually snogged him or if that was a hormone driven fantasy mixed in with the other unbelievable events.

What mattered now though, was that Harry was safe and in the hospital wing with Madam Pomfrey to watch over him. She doubted he was sleeping but just laying down would be good for him. She was now trying to calm her spinning head and trying to remember what the important thing was she was supposed to tell him...

Harry hadn't felt much like talking on the train ride back to London, and Hermione hadn't let Ron or anybody else push him. They had actually ended up falling asleep looking out the window, him sitting in the corner and her against his shoulder. The only time he seemed to stop brooding was when he was in contact with her so she maintained contact as much as she could.

When they reached Kings Cross the dread was weighing down on her and she wanted nothing more than to drag him back to her house for the Summer, but she had brought the idea up with Professor McGonagall and summarily gotten a note back from the headmaster himself. Thanking her for being so caring of her friend but _Alas Harry must return to his relatives home for a time_. She knew that was partly why he wouldn't stop brooding and she could do nothing to help.

She quickly pulled him behind a pillar on the platform where nobody could see and before his face could register surprise she kissed him square on the lips while holding his shirt bunched in both hands. "Hermionewah?" he asked while blinking owlishly.

"I am going to do everything I can to get you away from your relatives Harry, but you have to promise me to try not to be depressed all summer. Do your homework if you can, write to Ron and I and we will try to keep you informed. And I-..."

She what? She loved him? Well of course she loved him, he was her best friend after all...but with things between them already so strange there was no way she could say that now... "I'll miss you..." She finished weakly.

He surprised her by pulling her into a hug and getting a genuine smile from him when he pulled back. "I'll miss you too Mione...I would have gone round the twist this year if it weren't for you, I promise I will write if you promise you will write back and I will try not to be too much of a moody git."

She nodded and pouted her lips just a bit, "You had better not Mister or I promise you will have me to answer to in a few weeks. And of course I will write you!"

He nodded and she saw the hint of sadness in his eyes but he held it in check for her, "Right then, ready to face my demons?"

She nodded and hooked her arm through his as they made their way through the platform and out of the hidden entrance to Kings Cross proper. They were sharing a trolley luckily so they didn't have any huge navigation issues, however there was one problem.

"Hermione!" A woman called out and waved, the brunette grinned as she rushed toward her mother leaving Harry to push their luggage.

An older gentleman pulled her into another hug, "How are you doing princess? No trolls this year I trust?"

"No Daddy, no trolls this year."

"Ah and this is Harry if I'm not mistaken?" Mrs. Granger asked with an odd smile. She offered her hand limply and, recognizing the gesture from his lessons with Hermione he quickly turned it and brushed the back of her hand with his lips awkwardly.

"Mrs. Granger."

"Oh call me Emma please!" Harry nodded nervously.

Mr. Granger on the other hand narrowed his eyes as he seemed to size up the boy in front of him. He extended a hand. "Harry Potter then? Dan Granger."

Harry tried not to gulp as he shook the mans hand. "Dan?"

"Mr. Granger will do I think." he said darkly as his eyes darted over to Hermione and back. Emma smacked his shoulder lightly while giggling.

"Don't mind him Harry, so I trust you two had a good year at school?"

Harry paused for a moment, true he had flown against a fire breathing dragon, been nearly attacked by Merpeople, and Voldemort was raised using his blood in some insane ritual. But he had also gotten a blow job. "Actually all things considered I think I did quite well this year."

That threw the nervous Hermione for a loop but she quickly brought a smile back to her face she didn't get a chance to say anything though as Harry's face fell looking over Dan's shoulder, Hermione followed his line of site and sighed upon seeing the mountain of a man who was Harry's guardian staring at them with narrowed eyes.

She turned and pulled Harry into a hug, "Be safe, and don't let them get you down. I'll see you soon I'm sure." she said into his chest.

He returned the hug awkwardly with her father burning holes into his back and her mother looking on in amusement. "Um yeah...well... Hopefully I'll see you soon, I'll write to you when I get the chance."

She nodded and released him, her slight frown as he walked away dragging his trunk and owl was not lost on Emma who turned to her husband. "Dear why don't you go get the BMW and we will catch you up at the curb?"

Dan nodded and set off toward the car park, meanwhile Emma turned to her daughter. "So is there anything you want to tell me my dear?"

Hermione 's eyes suddenly widened, _I never told him the truth!_


End file.
